Space just got a lot messier and more dangerous.
Russia has sparked outrage by shooting down one of its satellites in a missile test on Monday.
Russias Defense Ministry has downplayed the risks of the operation, but there are good reasons to be concerned.
Here are three of them:
1.
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Their actions are reckless and dangerous, threatening as well the Chinese space station and the taikonauts on board.
They expect it to produce hundreds of thousands of smaller chunks.
The speed at which this debris hurtles through space means that even a tiny fragment can cause catastrophic damage.
Russias exercise increases the long-term risks to both astronauts and spacecraft.
Russian politicians saythe country is against the militarization of space, butcritics arguethat the test disproves this claim.
Theres no public safety element…
This is purely a military test, a saber-rattling test, Harvard astronomer Jonathan McDowelltold AFP.
And it shouldnt be done.
The operation has led US politicians to call for further military investment in space.
The Biden administration must back rapid defense modernization with a focus on space.
The move has sparked fears of hostilities on Earth extending to the cosmos.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he e(show all)Thomas is the managing editor of TNW.
He leads our coverage of European tech and oversees our talented team of writers.
Away from work, he enjoys playing chess (badly) and the guitar (even worse).
